Freestyle Bmx is a form of bike riding that involves performing tricks while on a bike. These tricks can be done on flat ground, over jumps or airing off a quarter pipe.It can be split into several disciplines, although riders will generally participate in more than one discipline. These are Street, Park, Vert and Dirt.
PARKS
Skateparks are used by BMXers as well as skateboarders. Skateparks themselves can be made of wood, concrete or metal. Styles of riding will differ between wood and concrete parks. Concrete is more suited to a flowing style, with riders searching for gaps, and aiming to air higher from the coping. Concrete parks usually tend to contain bowls and pools.
VERT
Perhaps the most extreme of the BMX disciplines, a half pipe consists of two quarter pipes set facing each other, they are usually around 10-15 feet tall. The biggest ramp ever used is the X-Games big air ramp at 27 feet tall. Both 'faces' of the ramp have an extension to the transition that is vertical.
Riders go up each jump, performing tricks in the air before landing into the ramp, having turned 180 degrees. A typical run involves going from one side to the other, airing above the coping each side.
DIRT
Trails are lines of jumps built from dirt. The jumps consist of a steep take off, called a lip, with an often slightly less steep landing. The lip and landing are usually built as separate mounds, divided by a gap. Gaps typically range from only a couple of feet to over twenty feet. An average gap is around twelve feet.
PARKS
Skateparks are used by BMXers as well as skateboarders. Skateparks themselves can be made of wood, concrete or metal. Styles of riding will differ between wood and concrete parks. Concrete is more suited to a flowing style, with riders searching for gaps, and aiming to air higher from the coping. Concrete parks usually tend to contain bowls and pools.
VERT
Perhaps the most extreme of the BMX disciplines, a half pipe consists of two quarter pipes set facing each other, they are usually around 10-15 feet tall. The biggest ramp ever used is the X-Games big air ramp at 27 feet tall. Both 'faces' of the ramp have an extension to the transition that is vertical.
Riders go up each jump, performing tricks in the air before landing into the ramp, having turned 180 degrees. A typical run involves going from one side to the other, airing above the coping each side.
DIRT
Trails are lines of jumps built from dirt. The jumps consist of a steep take off, called a lip, with an often slightly less steep landing. The lip and landing are usually built as separate mounds, divided by a gap. Gaps typically range from only a couple of feet to over twenty feet. An average gap is around twelve feet.
By James Campbell